Shifting narratives: Research on Muslim masculinities changing the conversation on gender justice

University of Calgary researcher Dr. Aamir Jamal, PhD'13, isn’t looking to change the world; he’s looking for the world to change itself. 

His global research — focused on engaging men in gender justice, promoting girl’s education and the prevention of domestic violence — has always started with the premise that change will never be accepted if it’s externally driven. 

So, when the associate professor in the Faculty of Social Work — along with his co-researchers, fellow Social Work faculty member Dr. Liza Lorenzetti, MSW'06, PhD'17, and Dr. Clive Baldwin, PhD, of St. Thomas University — began a new Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Insight-funded project on Transforming Muslim Masculinities, he naturally began by really examining the cultural context. 

“There is a rich diversity across these countries, but also a shared foundation of faith-based and cultural values," Jamal says. 

"To truly understand masculinities in these settings, we must approach the work through a decolonial lens, centring local wisdom, transnational feminism and the lived experiences of men in their own communities.”

Decolonial approach values local knowledge and culture

The decolonial approach lowered the temperature and defused the resentment that researchers sometimes encounter with more western approaches. 

“We found that communities are open to it because we are not going there as teachers, but as humble learners,” Jamal says. 

“I always say that, when a social change is emerging from within, from inside, it is stronger and sustainable because communities own it.”

In identifying the nascent signs of social change, Jamal started by looking for the bright spots — men who are already challenging patriarchal norms — whether by supporting women’s education, speaking out against domestic violence, or simply by living as respectful, engaged husbands and fathers. 

Jamal refers to them as “thinking men,” those who are reflecting on their own privilege and imagining different futures.

"This is not about blaming men," says Jamal. 

"It's about learning from those who are already engaged in change — kind fathers who proudly send their daughters to school, husbands who support their wives' ambitions, men who question the very power structures they've inherited."

Transformational moments for “thinking men” 

Jamal's early data points to several key factors that help to transform men into “thinking men.” One powerful shift occurs when men become fathers to daughters. 

“It changes something deep,” he says. 

“They begin to see the world through their daughters’ eyes.” 

Early findings have shown that other catalysts include education, faith teachings (especially those emphasizing the Prophet Muhammad’s role as a kind and just family man), and the influence of strong mothers or wives. 

Jamal says many men also described awakening to injustice through the struggles they witnessed in their own homes growing up and vowing not to continue that cycle.

It has to be said that it can be dangerous to fight for gender justice and violence prevention in some of the countries involved in the study, however Jamal says he has been encouraged by what he’s found.

"Even under Taliban rule in Afghanistan, there are men who resist," he says. 

"Quietly, privately, they question the oppression of women and girls. That's where change starts."

The research, currently underway in more than 10 countries, including Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Morocco, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and Indonesia, is built on Jamal’s decades of work in gender justice across Canada and internationally. 

“Co-creating change with love, trust and dignity…”

Next steps for the project include the creation of digital stories — short, first-person narratives from participants that will be shared through regional symposiums and community events. 

Jamal also plans to develop policy briefs, country-specific manuals and a larger practice framework for engaging men in violence-prevention work. A global symposium is already planned for next year in Istanbul.

While he acknowledges there may be resistance in some regions, Jamal believes the project’s respectful, community-driven nature will carry it forward. 

“We’re not just talking about change. We’re co-creating it with love, trust and dignity at the core,” he says.

The work, Jamal says, is more than research. It’s the foundation of a social movement. 

“These men are already out there," he says. "They’re kind, thoughtful, courageous. We just need to listen — and then help amplify their voices.”